Method of utilizing electrical earth-currents.



Nl-TED STATES PATENT EM IL JAHR, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

METHOD OF u'nuzmc ELECTRICALEARTH-CURRENTS;

rn lr'muton forming part or we ramumeeonm, dated Mata-3'1, 1on1. 1

Application an. m, 24,1900. seen Io. steam: (K was) To all whom it mayconcern:

specification;

It is known that continuous electric currents ilowthrou'gh the solid andB35151 r- 'tions of the earths' crust. Lamont strom und der Zusammenhangdeaselbn mit dem Erdmagneti'smus, Leipsic, 1862) showed the existence ofsuch currents by thrusting two metal plates at a certain distance fromeaclso'ther into the ground in the direction ofthe magnetic orastronomical meridian and connecting them above the ground by means of awire including a galvanometer. The stronger currents 0t this kind havebeenshown to flow from south to north. Later observations (Weinstein,Electrotechn'icche Zeitschrift, 1898, p. 794) show that this socalledearth-current possesses a considerable uniformity of current strengthand pressure. From the fact that this earth-current flows from south tonorth itmay be concluded that its pressure will increase if startingfrom a given point in the south the distance between this and thenorthern point is increased,

provided the connecting-lead be of little resistance. Notwithstandingthat these facts have been known the earth-current has neverbeenutilized; because in order to vobtain a s'uflicient current the distancebetween the north and south points must be so great that the cost of aninstallation is prohibitive. I

have discovered that the south to northdirection of the earth-current ismaintained only when the plates: are of the same metal. When zinc isusedfor the southern plate and iron or carbon for the northernone, thecurrent flows through the lead connecting them fromnorth to south. Allthe common metals behave relatively similarly-rthat is, the currentflows always from that plate'whose position in the separated in theelectricalpoten'tial series .and the northerly and more electropositiveordinary electrical potential serie'sis near the negative end,(palladium) I have also discovered that the current produced is ofhighpoint, while that which is nearer the negsti end (palladium) of theseries is thrust into earth or water at the. southerly point, In suchair-arrangement the netalsare not up preciably chemically corroded, evenwhen they are in earth saturated with water, and

are connected together by lead fora'long time;

My invention relates, therefore, to a method two electrodes, of whichthe one has'a posi'-' tion north of the other and is of a materialnearer to the positive end (zinc)'of the elecfor utilizing theearth-current, consisting in thrusting into the earth or'water on theearth trical potential series than is the material 0L the otherelectrode and connecting the two above ground by a lead. It isadvantageous that the northerly more electropositive electrode should hethrust more deeply ,into the earth or water than the southerlyelectrode, for then the current is stronger. The best result as tostrength of current and pressure is obtained when this diflerence indepth is such that a line joining the two electrodes is in the directionof the magnetic dip. The best, efiect, therefore, is obtained when theseconditions are combined-'-namely, when the two electrodes areapproximately in the magnetic meridian and are of materials widelyelectrode is buried at a greater" depth than that at which the southerlyelectrode is buried and that a line joining them has the inclina- 7 tionof the magnetic dip. The curreutcan be tapped from the lead joining theelectrodes and utilized in any well-known manner.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent 0! the UnitedStates, is-

1. A method of utilizing electrical earth-l currents consisting inplacing electrodes occupying diflerent positions in the electricaltential series into the earth or water so that the electrode which isnearer the negative end. of the series isat the more southerly point,

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while the electrode which is nesrerto the positive is at. the morenortherly point, and contive is st the more northerly point, andconn'ecting thetwo electrodestogether by a. lead, 15 nesting the twoelectrodes together bye lead, the insertion of the electrodes into theearth the northern electrode being inserted deeper or water at suchheights that a line connect- 5 into the earth or water than the southernone, ing the same is situated in the direction from snbstsntislly asdescribed. north to south, and also in the di'rection'of 9. A method ofutilizing electrical earththe magnetic dip, snbstantielly'asdesoribed.ac currents eonsisting in plscingelectrodes 00- In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set copying diflerent positions in the electrical my handin the presence ottwo witnesses.

to potential series into the earth or water so that EMIL J AHR. theelectrode which is ne'erer the negative 'end Witnesses:

, of the series is at the more southerly point, Wommusn; Hem, while theelectrode which is nearer to the posi- HENRY Hssrnn.

